Symptoms of a downfall
by yume girl 91
Summary: His downfall began the moment 'she' came into his life. AU StarkxRukia...:P just give it a read!
1. First meeting

AN: Enjoy.

Title: Symptoms of a downfall

Pairing: StarkxRukia

He bumped into her on his way to the Law firm. A girl, young, maybe a little older than high-school age, her unrepentant stare made it clear that she expected him to apologize for a minor scrape that happened to be _her_ fault to begin with.

"Are you alright?" Stark being a gentleman, at least in his own opinion, politely questioned. The hand he extended, was rudely rejected as the girl got up unassisted with more than a little of a sneer curling her upper lip. "I'm fine," she replied haughtily, tugging the bottom of her gray uniform down. _No thanks to you_, her hostile violet eyes seemed to say.

"Er…" he glanced at the face of his watch, mentally tallying up his client list for the day, then decided he had some time to spare. "How about stopping around the corner for a coffee? My treat."

She did not take it the right way.

"Are—are you picking up on me?!"

"N-No!" feeling the stares of the passerby on them, he lowered his tone, "I just—"

"What?"

"Wanted to apologize properly," he found himself saying softly, even though minutes before he had considered it_ her fault_. The girl's face lost some of its hardness, her mouth relaxing to a straight, compressed line. "Oh…no. You don't have to. I—you're a Lawyer, right?" she finally studied him, immediately deducing from the black briefcase and neatly tailored suit her assumption correct.

"Yes. I work…right here," Stark waved to the large building behind them. The girl glanced then turned bright; burning eyes to him, "say…I have a legal question to ask."

"Um…alright. Go ahead."

"Later on today, I have an appointment in one of the offices in there. It's about custody—my brother recently died and—"

"I'm sorry to hear that," he interrupted.

"Thank you." She continued on impatiently, "He was my adopted brother and because I'm still under-age I'm to go to the next of kin. An Uncle, I've never met is to be my guardian. Now my reasoning is, am I allowed to choose—I can take care of myself," the girl assured him with a steely glare, "Or will I have to go along with whatever my brother's will says about my care?"

Stark thought a moment. Though, he didn't say anything, he was reminded of a bothersome appointment of his own later on in the day, involving one of his distant relatives…something pertaining to familial matters _too_.

"Well…" he began carefully, "you've never met this man. For all you know, you'll meet him and instantly hit it off and then there won't be any problem of care. Otherwise I believe you'd have to honor the stated wishes of your deceased brother, blood-related or not."

The girl nodded slowly, agreeing, "makes sense. Heh, spoken like a true barrister dedicated to the law."

_Was that…supposed to be a compliment?_

_It hadn't really sounded like one_.

Stark however, decided not to take the girl too seriously, "thank you for the compliment," he said, mock-bowing which made her laugh. "See you then, mister Lawyer," she sobered, backing away, "maybe we'll see each other later."

"Yeah…maybe." He watched her take off in the opposite direction, school bound obviously. Stark shook his head, then, realized he hadn't asked her name. Oh well. She probably would've thought it another pick-up tactic. Turning to enter the door he had been distracted from opening, he spotted something on the ground. The receipt from a Library with someone's name on it; _her name_…

_Rukia Kuchiki_.

Must've fallen out of her bag, he assumed, without thinking stuffing it into his pocket.

But something did bother him for the first few seconds before his secretary; Rangiku bore down on him, with a disgruntled client at her two-inch heels. _That name. He'd heard it somewhere before_…

Now he remembered.

His elder sister had married a man named _Kuchiki_.

What a coincidence.

~~~To be continued-? ~~~

A/N: don't own Bleach. Do I smell crack bunnies at work here? Grins :D so how'd you like it, hmm? Please review and let me know!


	2. It was you

AN: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter! :) Enjoy.

Title: Symptoms of a downfall CH.2: It was you

Pairing: StarkxRukia

Stark was late getting to his appointment. Grumbling mildly to himself, he exited the elevator, being left off on the floor below where his office was. 'Sosuke Aizen, family law-guardianship-divorce cases', proclaimed a metal plaque hanging above the paneled door. He checked the time on the memo from his secretary once more, squared his shoulders and then went in.

Aizen greeted him cordially after he'd been conducted into the older man's back office. It was tastefully done in light, creamy blues keeping with a tranquil seashore type theme from the framed watercolor of beachside in Sendai, a simple child's sandcastle being the image, to the roughened edges of three nautilus shells reposing in a small bowl upon a sheaf of documents. From here, Aizen gathered up the topmost ones, gesturing vaguely to a pair of curved Chippendale chairs meant for clients.

Stark perched at the edge, nervous though before he'd dismissed the summons as nothing more than litigation for the estate, but now he had a feeling that wasn't the case anymore. "As you're aware of, I came here for a strictly business matter. Your office was handling the settlement of my sister's estate and as it stands-for her children." He paused waiting for the other to continue.

The older man nodded, "yes. The late Mrs. Kuchiki- the Gods rest her soul-entrusted me with the greater part of her treasure-_as she called them_-her children. Their joint well-being was asked of me as a personal favor not merely as her solicitor. Sadly…it is with sorrow that I called you here on a simple matter of the guardianship of the girl, Mr. Shibien."

He winced inwardly at the name. He heard it often enough from his clients and never reacted the same…but somehow hearing it from the thin lips of the man sitting behind the imposing desk with a fatherly smile that never quite reached his eyes…Stark brushed it off. "Ah…I see. I hadn't had much contact with my sister after her illness set in—so I never did meet that girl she adopted…how old is she now? Fifteen?"

"Seventeen." Aizen answered succinctly.

"Oh." Stark not knowing what else to say, shrugged, "…about the girl—where is she?"

"She was supposed to be here." Aizen frowned at the tiny desk clock, "twenty minutes ago. Perhaps she was—"

A pair of hesitant footsteps crossed the length of the outer room.

"That's probably her now."

Stark smoothed the charcoal gray of his suit free of nonexistent lint. Standing up, he turned partially, expectant as a peculiar sense of mounting trepidation grew.

The knob twisted in someone's reluctant hand.

He took in a few quiet, calming breaths, trying to smile for his _niece's_ arrival. _Welcome_. He'd have to make her feel welcome and not be resentful for having his former bachelor's life disrupted.

The door swung open on silent hinges. A pair of violet eyes, familiar at once, but startling all the same, stared straight ahead. Mouth drawn down in a sulky…_yet sexy pout_. The girl zeroed in on him, her eyes widening. Stark forgot himself.

"IT WAS YOU?!?"

Being both of their responses.

Aizen had stood up also; quietly he interceded between his stunned clients.

_He could not afford to lose the management of this account_.

"Rukia, this is Stark Shibien, your Uncle and new guardian. Stark," here he gave him a warning look, "meet your charge, Ms. Rukia Kuchiki."

~~~To be continued~~~

AN: Heh, heh. Yeah I know I haven't updated a lot of my fics in a while…sorry. But um I actually have to start cracking the books…so I won't have as much time to write like before. I'll try though! :) How'd you like it, hmm? Let me know! Review!


	3. Obligation

AN: thank you to everyone who reviewed before! Enjoy!

Title: Symptoms of a downfall CH.3: Obligation

Pairing: StarkxRukia

_It could have been worse_, Stark supposed, glancing over the declaration of transferred guardianship. Aizen had taken his seat behind the desk again and beamed at one and all with a reassuring smile, particularly and often he would look to Rukia where she sat, mistrustful even of the slightest kindness. Her eyes flickered to Stark's face and then followed the path of the paper as he scooted it across the space of the oak veneer desktop.

"Everything seems in order," he remarked, noting the meticulous care Aizen held in stamping his official seal below the guardian's signature. Rukia shifted a little, alertly eyeing the two men, ready to bolt if need be. Aizen waited until the ink had dried before passing the document to her, "now, Ms. Kuchiki. If you would just sign—"

"No. I don't want to live with him-I refuse." Steely she looked from the impassive solicitor's face to the one of the man sitting opposite her. Stark raised an eyebrow, "and what are your objections—if this were in a court of law—how would you justify this line of thinking?"

Taken aback, Rukia lowered her gaze, mumbling quietly, "I want to…take care of myself."

He sighed; _teenagers could be so difficult._

_It was ridiculous, her wanting to go off in the world alone_.

_That rather reminded him of_…

"Look, if things don't work out—and you don't like living in my household, we'll figure out something then. But right now, I'm sure you're tired-as I am. So why don't you just sign the paper and we'll go on down to my place and order in dinner? Hmm? How does that sound?"

Quietly, searchingly she lifted her eyes to his, the reflection wary. _Almost as if she was afraid of being hurt_, he mused thoughtfully, wondering why that could be.

Slowly, Rukia slid the paper by the edge to her, taking up the silver pen offered her by Aizen; she signed her name in a firm, smooth hand. Aizen took it from her and announced the proceedings Legal and as far as the law was concerned, Stark was now obliged to look after her, call it familial duty, obligation or what not. With this, they were free to go.

Back to his home.

~~~*~~~

The Taxi ride didn't take long. Rukia sat the farthest she possibly could from him and stared out the narrow, tinted window rather than by chance, be forced into banal conversation. Twice, Stark cleared his throat to interrupt a silence he was beginning to find disturbing, but couldn't when arrested by the simple fact of: _she didn't want to talk_.

He could tell. It was written all over her slender, petite form clothed in a gray pleated skirt, he found to be _scandalously short_, a long-sleeve jacket and a red ribbon tied around her collar. Her book bag was between them as a more corporeal barrier other than the occasional glare she sent his way; _whenever she thought he wasn't looking_.

_Just what was her problem?  
_

_It wasn't as though they were absolute strangers…after all they had spoken once before earlier that morning_. _His sister had been her adopted mother for Gods sakes_!

Scowling in frustration, Stark recalled his blithe words of advice from hours ago. Then, sheepishly smiled to himself in the darkness of the cab. _He had better take his own advice_.

~~~*~~~

They were left off outside of a two-story townhouse located in the fashionable Shibuya district. Businesses lined the streets before they'd turned onto a narrower, quieter sort of area. _It wasn't so unlike where she had lived with her brother_, Rukia mused. Stark paid their cab fare, turning his attention to her once the yellow and black sedan had driven away.

"Shall we go in?"

His question was met with a quiet nod, the movement bringing his eyes to rest on her face, where they stayed until she shifted more and made him realize. _He'd been staring_. Averting his gaze from her, he walked up to the doormat, jiggling his keys as distraction from the daze he had just been in.

_What was wrong with him?_

_He shouldn't have been looking at her that way!_

She was already uncomfortable, he chastised himself, and recent bereavement dictated her in need of a father figure. _Someone to care for her…someone to love her…but not in that way_, he reminded the faint flutter of his quickening heartbeat. Pushing the door open, he stepped back allowing her to enter first into the tiny foyer. A pair of slippers, his, and she assumed, for a lady guest, had been set out on the tiny square of matte tile. Rukia slipped her shoes off and donned the smaller of the pair; Stark was right behind her, going past her to switch on a small lamp placed on an end table by the beige Laz-boy sofa.

The illumination did much for revealing framed artwork on the wall, a small bookshelf or two situated discreetly in the corners, their tops adorned with photo frames. _Probably family photos_, she thought, making a mental note to check them out when he wasn't in the room. Stark padded across the room to the adjoining kitchen area towards the back, motioning for her to follow. A stainless steel refrigerator sat conspicuously large against one wall and the sink set in a miniature island provided counter space for bar stools. The stove was gas range and surrounded by cabinets all of which, Rukia suspected, were probably empty.

"Would you like to see the rest of the place now?" Stark questioned politely, "or would you prefer to have dinner ordered first?"

"I don't care," she replied flatly, turning on her heel.

"Hey," he called, hesitating to address her without leave, "it's alright to use my first name. Nothing formal-and not _old man_ either. I'd like to think…_Rukia_," he said carefully, gauging her reaction, _so far so good,_ "that we can make it work. But I need your cooperation here—"

"You're making it sound as though I'm trying to dump you," she remarked, a sarcastic smile twisting her lips. Stark tried not to focus too long on her mouth shaping the words, swallowing with difficulty, he looked away, "that's not the case and you know that. We're—" again he hesitated, but for a different reason, "—family. And I—I want to _take care_ _of you_. That's all."

A flicker of something passed through her cold eyes at this statement. Her lips lost the taunting emotion they had held and then finding her voice, she spoke, her tone being much subdued and losing some of its sneer, "order Chinese. I haven't had it since brother died."

"Okay," relieved, Stark went back to the counter for the handset.

"Sweet and sour chicken and fried rice," she instructed, seeing him take note of it, she started out the door. Pausing as he dialed the number, Rukia glanced back, murmuring lowly, "thanks, Stark."

~~~*~~~

He heard her and could only smile covertly.

He would show her what it meant _to be loved_…in the familial way of course.

~~~To be continued~~~

A/N: sleepy. Anyway, reviews are appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

AN: redone. Enjoy.

Title: Symptoms of a downfall CH.4

Pairing: StarkxRukia

_Geez…what was wrong with this girl_? Stark thought with more than the usual annoyance. He was a calm guy normally, things just slid off him whereas with others like the Court Bailiff Jeagerjaques…everything just seemed to piss him off.

_I can handle this—I can handle this—I can handle a teenage girl who thinks the world beneath her!_ He knocked on the beige bathroom door, twisting the glass knob finally. _And—confiscates the single bathroom in my apartment_! "I'm coming in," he warned, pushing against the jamb. A cloud of steam met his face with a warm whoosh of heat. His eyes flickered past the wide step pedestal sink, the clothing he had been forced to buy, supplementing her old wardrobe, tossed carelessly on the floor and then the pale dripping face staring out from the parted curtain in the shower stall in the corner.

"GET OUT, PERVERT!!!!!!!!"

"O-kay!" he ducked out fast, as something whistled with near accuracy toward his head. _Was that my Old Spice shampoo_?! He flinched hearing a thud hit the other side of the door_. Dammit. She's going to make us both late_. Running both hands through his longish hair, Stark sat on the top step, staring down into the hallway below gloomily.

Four-no-five days, she had been residing with him and everyday…_it was the same_. Stark himself liked to sleep in, getting up twenty minutes precisely before _having to_ leave for the office. Take a quick shower; stop in at Lilynette's Café for a quick bite and then…_but oh no_…every morning exactly at the time when his footstep sounded on the bottom step, above he'd hear Rukia's light feet cross the floor and the squeak of hinges as the bathroom _closed_.

Her shower lasted fifteen minutes on a good day, on a bad well…

He glanced at his watch and stood up_. No shower for him today, at least not until after he came back. Hopefully Ms. Tu Oderschvank wouldn't notice. _

~~~*~~~

"Bad day?"

"Huh? Oh…we had a test." Rukia said perfunctorily, letting the door slam shut behind her. Stark gave his attention back to the paperwork spilling out of his briefcase. _He wouldn't ask anymore_. He heard the pounding of the steps mounted two at a time, the second rattle and slam of a door upstairs then a few moments later she came back down. The light in the Kitchenette was flicked on and she walked into the living room, an apple in hand.

Stark shifted aside his leather case as she perched on the end cushion, crossing her legs swiftly; her arm draped over her knee. "How's work?" she asked, drawing his eyebrows together in surprise. "I didn't think you were much interested in what I do day after day," he couldn't help saying before realizing how it sounded.

Thankfully Rukia didn't seem to take immediate offense.

"I don't usually. But I…"

He was amused to see a tiny tint of pink to her cheeks.

"I just thought I should ask. It's only _polite_ after all." Her eyes were narrowed, glaring, as if daring him to contradict her. Stark shuffled his papers, folding his hands over them on his lap. "It is _nice_ of you to ask. I met today with a new client, a Ms. Tu Oderschvank-formerly-Mrs. Jiruga. She's bringing a case against her ex husband, Nnoitora, for damages incurred during their brief marriage. Apparently Mr. Jiruga has a violent temper and used to—I believe she used the term—_rampage and scare the daylights out of her_. She says that fright weakened her heart and caused all kinds of medical conditions. She's even gone to a Doctor and gotten his word for it."

Her apple quite forgotten, dangled from her fingers by the stem, "and what do you think? Does she have a case?"

He pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly, "Perhaps. It doesn't matter so much what I think. If I am hired to represent someone in Court and argue their case to the best of my ability…well that's what I'm paid for. Never mind if I think she's silly or anything. Not that I do," he said hastily seeing the girl across from him start to smile.

Rukia nodded and lifted the apple to her mouth, "that's a safe position to take. Only doing it for the money." Stark swallowed with difficulty watching the red fruit be kissed by her lips. _Don't stare_. She bit into it with a crisp snapping sound, breaking off a small bite and chewing it slowly. _Look away_! His eyes refused to obey the warning rerunning around his mind.

A tiny droplet of juice ran down the corner of her lip.

She swallowed the apple; _he was secretly relieved_.

Her tongue flicked out and licked away the stray stickiness.

_Crap_. He flew up from the sofa, mentally cursing his male body. He felt her look at him curiously; completely oblivious to what she was doing to him. _It's only me_.

"Is something wrong, Stark?"

He swiftly turned on his heel, running a hand through his hair nonchalantly, "N-no. I—I just remembered I hadn't taken a shower. I'll go do that now." _Good. His voice didn't shake_. He took a few steps toward the Kitchen and the hallway beyond, saying over his shoulder, "order whatever you'd like for dinner. There's cash in the crock near the—"

"Didn't you _already_ take a shower?" she sounded slightly suspicious.

"No. Because you were hogging the bathroom—"

"Your hair is still damp." She pointed out the obvious.

Stark cursed her intellect.

~*~

Note: rewritten because I wanted some time to have elapsed between chapters 3 and 4. Not much happened still, except Stark finding himself in a _situation_. Pardon the shortness but I will try to update a lot sooner than the gap between the last ones. Thanks for reading and—no flames—please review. :)


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Enjoy.

Title: Symptoms of a downfall

Pairing: StarkxRukia

"And you're telling me this, because...?" The speaker was a neatly if not nicely dressed young man decked out in black slacks and a white shirt with the sleeves cuffed up exposing slender porcelain forearms. Yes, Ulquiorra Schiffer was of the too-feminine seeming variety and one of the few in Stark's acquaintance who could reasonably be trusted with the secret that was weighing heavily on his mind.

"Because. You're the only one I know who wouldn't think I was dirty old pervert," he smiled to soften the compliment. Ulquiorra sipped his drink and absently cast a longing eye to the pen and pad never far away from his reach. "I do think you have a dirty mind," Ulquiorra said shortly, setting aside his frosty glass. Stark bit back a fast denial, rolling his eyes askance, "I only wanted to know your thoughts on the matter. Not judgment."

Green eyes narrowed slightly, "okay then. If I were you, I would investigate these feelings. Is it lust or could it just be a misinterpretation of your own insecurities manifesting themselves in peculiar desires? Or maybe..."

"Maybe _what_?" Stark had cringed slightly at the word _lust_.

There was an undeniable ghost of a smirk curving Ulquiorra's mouth, "you're just kinky. At any rate I will be able to fully assess the situation in person-to-person contact. May I meet her?"

~*~

Ulquiorra had come from a good background. He had attended law school for a while where he and Stark had been roommates at least until the prodigal son decided to pursue a career in writing horror novels to which parental disapproval had him dismissed forever from his family's sight. It still did show however, that good-breeding once learned was never forgotten.

He held the door open for Rukia when Stark himself had already gone in.

A surprised _thank you_ followed, one that even Stark who had poked his head out of the Kitchen area, heard and felt a twinge of _something_. Ulquiorra nodded slightly, ignoring the girl's raised brows and somewhat appreciative looks.

It was then that Stark considered the fact that _maybe his friend was just a little too pretty. _"Ulquiorra, could you come here a moment?" he kept his tone light and the writer stood up, excusing himself oh-so politely from Rukia's presence_. She seemed even more taken aback at his manners than before._

"I haven't had my full assessment yet," Ulquiorra disclaimed, his back to the open doorway.

"I know."

"Then?"

"Could you _not_ turn the charm on?!" he blurted out, before realizing how it would sound in light of their recent discourse.

"Jealous?" a raven brow was quirked over an emerald eye, a knowing look gleaming within. "N-no," feeling like a fool, he stuttered, turning slightly crimson. A low chuckle escaped, "don't worry. I assure you, you have good taste, Ms. Kuchiki is very attractive."

"Thanks a lot," Stark grumbled, feeling his face heat up even more.

"Though she isn't very well-endowed."

"I know."

"You know? Pervert." Another smirk graced Ulquiorra's lips, "and don't try to deny it."

"I'm not! Wait...what am I saying?" he clapped his hand over his face.

"That you're a perverted old man who's half in lust with his niece."

"Don't say that!"

"Don't say what?! And am I forgotten in here or what?!" Rukia yelled irately from the other room. He started then chuckled, running a hand through his wavy chestnut hair. "Did I forget to mention she has a temper?" he questioned.

"I can tell," Ulquiorra said blithely.

Stark sighed, "this is going to be a long night..."

~To be continued~

AN: it's short but yeah Ulqui's a charmer when he wants to be. Look for the next chapter coming soon to a computer near you!

Thanks for reading.

No flames, stupid comments (you know what I mean!)

Reviews are always appreciated. :)


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